What Are My Options for Extending My Stay in Thailand on a Tourist Visa During the Pandemic?

Since you asked and made negative implications but then closed commenting: No, I'm not here to loaf around. I didn't come on a 60 day visa with the intention of manipulating "free extensions." I didn't lazily ignore arranging a flight home. I have been struggling with the decision of what to do next every day. I came here to work and to teach. Before coming here, I spent months at home making arrangements, subletting my apartment, saving money before resigning from my job, selling what I could and putting things in storage.

At home, I had spent most of my life caring for a family member. That situation had made any thought of ever living abroad impossible. At the end of last year, that situation suddenly changed, and I allowed myself to try something different, and to go abroad.

After I arrived here, I studied and got certified to teach. It wasn't a hack course. I would have loved to have spent the time flitting around Thailand or even other parts of Asia and traveling for fun, but I didn't. I put the work in and figured once I got a job and a proper work permit and visa and everything was settled, there would be plenty of time for fun later. After my course ended, I spent time looking for jobs. I had leads, and interviews. Then this pandemic exploded and everything came to a halt.

I understood when I came I would likely have needed to leave and perhaps apply for another tourist visa while waiting on a job. I was prepared to do that again to activate an employment visa. Then borders started closing. Travel restrictions and quarantines started changing day to day. Nightmarish stories started emerging of people getting stuck in other countries while on "border runs" because they didn't have the right "covid" documentation to re-enter Thailand. Nothing was certain and I have been trying to stay on top of the ever-changing policies to plan ahead as best I can.

I did not come here on a whim. It took months of planning, a lot of sacrifice, and many difficult decisions. I'm not some dumb tourist looking to stumble drunk around Khosan 24/7 and ride elephants. I had a good career, my own apartment, friends, and family at home. I had a life. I was independent and I wasn't unhappy. I just wanted to try something different. I struggle daily with whether I should stick with this or just go back home. It is very difficult. But I made so much sacrifice to come here, I am fighting to see it through.

So now I am here and I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I am trying to push forward. I stay home. I still look for jobs. I hemorrhage money and can't work because I don't have a permit. I try to use this time productively by working on my Thai. I clean the apartment over and over. I call my family at night as we're on a 12 hour time difference, and lately much of that time has been spent talking about who's sick and who died. I'm helping to plan a virtual memorial service as we speak since funerals are currently prohibited at home.

So that's why I'm here and that's what I'm doing here now. I don't know what will happen tomorrow. I am tying to take this one day at a time.

Please stop assuming everyone on here is trying to work the system. Some of us are trying our best to handle things the proper way while navigating an unprecedented situation. I appreciate and respect when comments are limited to prevent needless opinions and commentary so that the information on here is as fact based as possible, but please make that policy true for everyone, including moderators. If you want to ask something because you're "just curious" then don't simultaneously close commenting and prevent an answer. Otherwise, maybe the comment wasn't appropriate in the first place.

I assume this won't be approved. I just hope you read it before deleting it and reflect a bit more before making comments like that in the future. I appreciate this page otherwise. It's been incredibly helpful. I'd imagine that maintaining this page takes a lot of work that is likely often thankless at times. I appreciate all the effort made to keep this page running, neutral, and informative. I hope you all and your loved one are well. Stay safe out there.